The storage of surfboards can present problems due to their large size and awkward shape. Furthermore, surfers often take great pride in presenting these delicate works of art for others to admire share stories about the waves they surfed with each surfboard. While careful handling of surfboards can reduce damage, the easily-damaged materials used in the construction of many surfboards can present quite a burden to successful storage.
Horizontal wall mounts have long been used to successfully store surfboards. These horizontal mounts essentially present a surfboard in an orientation similar to that seen when the board is in use. However, attempts at vertical storage have been met with limited success.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,585 (Orestano) describes a T-harness for storing a surfboard having a nose-stirrup serving to support the vertical load and T-straps that wrap around the mid-body region to keep the surfboard in an upright position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,995 (Simpson) describes a strap for holding a surfboard. The strap has a pocket that holds the nose to support the weight of the surfboard and has a slit that surround a fin of the surfboard to keep the surfboard board in an upright position but sitting upside down with the top facing the wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,955 (Thompson) describes a surfboard holder comprising a lower enclosure for insertion of the nose of a surfboard and an upper enclosure for insertion of the tail of a surfboard; and a stretchable cord member extending from the upper enclosure to the lower enclosure. The lower enclosure supports weight of the surfboard while the upper enclosure keeps the surfboard in an upright position but sitting upside down with the top facing the wall.
Each of the above-cited references provides a hanger with a single weight-bearing surfboard contact point. None of the above-cited references teach a vertical hanger comprising a plurality of surfboard attachments points configured to distribute the weight of a surfboard among different portions of the surfboard. Further, none of the above-cited references teach a hanger with a body ring configured to support the weight of a surfboard vertically by a frictional force alone or in combination with a second attachment point such as an end seat configured to support the weight of a surfboard by a normal force. Further, none of the above-cited references teach a hanger that attaches to an existing leash plug to support the weight of the surfboard. Further, none of the above-cited references teach a hanger that displays a surfboard in a vertical orientation and presents the surfboard top side for aesthetic viewing. Embodiments of the present invention overcome one or more of these deficits.
What is needed in the art is a hanger that supports a surfboard in a vertical orientation without damaging to the board and provides an efficient and aesthetic mechanism for installation on a surfboard. Embodiments of the present invention provide such a hanger.